HAVANA — As Hurricane Oscar approaches Cuba, the island nation faces a compounded crisis following a massive nationwide power outage that has left millions without electricity. The hurricane, packing winds of 140 kilometers per hour, is expected to reach eastern Cuba later today, bringing heavy rains and further challenges to a country already grappling with severe inflation and shortages of essential goods.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel took to social media to assure citizens that authorities in eastern Cuba are “working hard to protect the people and economic resources” in anticipation of the storm’s impact.
The electricity grid failed last week due to a chain reaction triggered by the unexpected shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras power plant, Cuba’s largest coal-fired facility. This collapse led to the government declaring an “energy emergency,” as residents had already been enduring power outages of up to 20 hours a day in some provinces.
As of now, only 16% of consumers have had their power restored, with around 500 megawatts being generated—just a fraction of the country’s daily demand of 3,300 megawatts. The national electric utility, UNE, reported a total disconnection of the electrical grid, leaving most neighborhoods in Havana dark, save for hotels, hospitals, and a few private homes equipped with backup generators.
“God knows when the power will come back on,” said Rafael Carrillo, a 41-year-old mechanic who had to walk nearly five kilometers due to the lack of public transportation during the blackout. Fellow resident Yaima Vallares expressed her frustration, stating, “Everything is very difficult. For almost a day, we have had this blackout that makes life so hard for us.”
Prime Minister Manuel Marrero announced the suspension of non-essential public services to prioritize electricity for homes, and schools across the country have closed until further notice.
“This is crazy,” commented Eloy Fon, an 80-year-old retiree in central Havana. “It shows the fragility of our electricity system… We have no reserves, and there is nothing to sustain the country. We are living day-to-day.”
President Diaz-Canel attributed the ongoing energy crisis to difficulties in acquiring fuel for power plants, a situation exacerbated by the long-standing U.S. trade embargo intensified during Donald Trump’s presidency.
Cuba is currently facing its worst economic crisis since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, characterized by soaring inflation and critical shortages of food, medicine, and fuel. This dire situation has led to mass emigration, with over 700,000 Cubans entering the United States between January 2022 and August 2024.
To address the electricity crisis, Cuba has leased seven floating power plants from Turkish companies and deployed small diesel-powered generators. The government is also wary of potential civil unrest, recalling the July 2021 protests triggered by prolonged blackouts, which resulted in one death and numerous injuries, with many participants arrested.
With Hurricane Oscar on the horizon, the outlook for the beleaguered island remains precarious as it confronts multiple crises.
